Metatarsal stress fracture reading

I am beginning to feel like a runner again. Along with having to do more laundry, this means I’m perusing the running blog world during Asa’s naptimes (and ignoring the housework) again. I stumbled across one yesterday entitled “Metatarsal Stress Fractures in Minimalist Runners: What Are the Causes?” on Runblogger. It didn’t have the subtitle: “Liza Howard, you should go ahead and read this,” but I did anyway. Peter Larson presents Dr. Casey Kerrigan’s thoughts (founded the gait labs at Harvard and UVa among many many other accomplishments that make me feel a bit inadequate) on the issue. My favorite line from the piece is: “I like to say that the only way a cushioned athletic shoe can protect you from injury is if you are in a car accident and happen to have them strapped around your head.” It’s just such a great mental image.

She concludes: “I would avoid a minimalist shoe that has any kind of cushioning (as I think that maximally stresses your second metatarsal) especially if you are recovering from a stress fracture or develop any “top of the foot” pain. Finally, while this isn’t a problem when running completely barefoot, as it is when running in minimalist shoes, I think you need to work extra, extra hard to take shorter strides than you normally feel comfortable doing. Of course, this advice goes for traditional shoes as well.”

It’s worth a read — and a second read if you read it the first time while playing Uno with a three year-old. I’m going to do that right now.